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GEORGE A. HIGGINS,

OF NEW YORK, N. VY.

Letters Patent Nv 99,437,dated17'ebruany 1, 1870.

- IMPRovED CHAMBER-FAIL.

' 'v OM The Schedule referred tio in these Letters Patent and making part of the same.

To all whom it may concern'.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE A. HIGGINS, of the city and State of New York, have invented and made a new and useful Improvement in Chamber-Pails; and the following is declared to be a correct description of the same.

Ghamber-pails Aare usuallyV made of sheet metal, with a movable cover and bail, the water from portable basins and the contents of chambers heilig emptied into such chamber-pails, 'and theseare generally carried to the privy or water-closet to be emptied.

In makingr use of chamb'er-pails in this manner, there are severalincouveniences. The contents are f apt to be spilled upon the seat as the pail is emptied;

'water .has to be carried to rinse ont the pail; and

.usually a cloth must be provided for wiping up whatever .may spill upon the seat." Besides this, the smell arising from these chamber-pails while in use is disagreeable. n

My invention is intended to remedy all the beforenamed difcu1tiesand consists in a chamber-pail and valve combined, so that the valve can be opened to allow the contents to be discharged from the hott-oni of the pail, after the same has been set upon the privy or water-closet seat, so as not to spill any water on i I also make the cover ot' said pail hollow, I

said seat. to contain rinsing-water, that is allowed to run out when the co'veris inverted, upon4 the' pail. ,I also make the top flange of the pail of sntlicient width to form a) seat, so that said chamber-pail can be used as a portable vnight-convenience, and this flange is covered'with India rubber, to make a more easy seat,

" and also tokeep in smell, by forming a tight elastic seat for the cover of the pail.

In the drawing- Figure 1 is avertical section of the pail, as in a conditiony fortransportation to the privy or Watercloset, and j f Figure 2 shows the top part of the.pail with the cover inverted, to cause the water contained therein,

4 to wash out the pail. The pail, a, ismade of any usual size or shape, and

b represents the handle or bail.

In the bottom of the pail is an'open'ing for discharging the contents, and a valve, c, to close that opening. v

rlhis valve, c, may be made in any desired manner.

v I prefer to have the same hinged, as at d, and make use of an elastic face, on the under side'o` the pail,-

secured by metal ring, so that the valve c may close against this seat.

lThe latch, j, is fitted in theunder part of the p'ail to take' a loopv or catch, projecting from the valve, and hold the valve pressed iirmly against the seat.

I prefer that the underside of the valve, and the skirt or rim ofthe pail, be in the same plane, `so that the valve may rest upon the door, and thereby be pressed to the seat. l

At the top of the pail a metal flange, g, is made, and upon this there is an elastic surface, formed by expanding a cylindrical rubber ring around the edges of said flange, the contraction of the sanne holding the ring in place, and causing it to lie flat upon the top of the flange.

This elastic surface to the flange g makes the cover of the pail tight, and forms an easy seat, when the pail is used as a night-convenience.

The coverof `the pail is formed as a water-vessel, ,72, having a flange, t, a supply-tube, and. funnel k, and

exit-holes at l. l

By this construction, the water is not liable to spill as the pail and cover are carried from one place to another, and when the cover is inverted, almost all the water is discharged from the holes l iu jets, to wash out the inside ofthe pail.

I claim, as my invention- 4 1. A portable chamber-pail, with adischarge-opening in the bottom, in combination with a valve for closing the said opening, substantially as set forth.

2, The flange g, at the top ofthe chamberpail, upon which a band of India rubber is applied, surrounding the exterior of such ange, and covering the top surface, as and for the purposes set forth.

3. The chamber pail-cover, made as a hollow vessel, entirely closed at the bottom, and with an opening at the top, for receiving water for rinsing said pail, as set forth, .e

4. Thewater-vessel It, flange t', funnel and ytube k, and eXitholes Z, forming the cover of a` chamber-pail, as and for the purposes specified.

Signed this 22d day of December, A.. D. 1S69.

' GEORGE A. HIGGINS.

'Witnessesz OHAs. H. SMITH, Gno. T.P1N0KNEY. 

